Friday, December 3, 2010

Switching gears from pastel, my focus this week has been on preparations for the upcoming "Intermediate Watercolor Workshop". Having taught many workshops over the past few years, the topic for this class is design and composition, featuring simple still-life subjects and cast shadows. Though I realize, pigeons represent more of an un-still life subject. However, the principles still apply for the purposes of this class.

One method I use for doing this is to simplify the reference, focusing on the areas that draw my attention, catch my eye, or trigger an emotion. I will often squint my eyes to minimize the shapes so I can see the simplified values and shapes...walk around the subject, using a viewfinder or camera to crop the image...and the finally, sketch various compositions.

These small sketches will serve as "tests" for the design and composition. Here I am considering how I will you break up the space, what is the most interesting and pleasing arrangement or perspective of the positive and negative shapes, am I going to use a design structure for my composition, how does the light move across the forms, etc.

The "test" is where most of the decision making gets done...if something doesn't work...no worries...I'm not committed or married to the composition...just trying it out.Workshop participants are welcome to work through a few of these sketches prior to class. We will spend a good part of the morning looking at your subjects, finding interesting compositions and considering design elements. Below are a few other examples of subjects that work well for this challenge or follow the link to see some examples from a similar class earlier in the year.

And for those of you in class who just love to paint florals (as I do)...another example.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Closing out the Thanksgiving week, I am reminded that 'Thanksgiving' is not just a holiday...but thanks giving is a state of mind that should be carried with us every day. I am thankful for many things this week...most notably, my friends and family who uplift and enrich my life.

Serendipity

9X12

Pastel on Ampersand Pastelbord

'Tis the season for small works... perfect for me, stripped down to the essentials of time, no time for large works, delay, analysis, procrastination...self doubt...only time for the fervor of work, and creative energy. In this fervor, I am finding a flow and rhythm in landscapes (that until now, I have unintentionally avoided), responding to the watercolor underpainting with a deeper sense of expression and intimacy... and with an efficiency that comes from the pressure imposed by time.

A few of these landscapes will be on display for the "Small Works" exhibit opening

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

As an ode to my southern Texas roots, I entered this painting in a juried competition with Southwest Art, entitled "21 over 31" for their November magazine issue. Though the scene for this painting came from a small Virginia town, the image seems to transcend location, recalling those places in so many small towns...that draw in curiosity and the potential of undiscovered treasures.

Among the company of over 3000 entries, "Secret Places," didn't quite make the "21", but was selected as one of the top 50 finalist. To see the winners and some amazing "runner-ups," visit their website.

And finally...after many trips here and there around Virginia, "Secret Places" is "home", on exhibit in my studio at Liberty Town. If you are in the downtown Fredericksburg area, stop by and check it out.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

In pastel, my comfort in painting leans toward what I would term "ultra-realism" . I typically work spatially completing section by section, piecing together lines and shapes, that when completed, works as a whole.

Challenging myself for a looser interpretation (as I often see a landscape), I wanted, instead, to respond to the poetry of the underpainting, the poetry of shapes and mingled color. I began on white (which I almost never do) ampersand pastelbord that can handle alot of water, pigment, and pastel. Considering the harmony color, temperature, and with the goal of creating luminous contrasts of blue and gold, I began to add color...no worries about mess, details or representation, simply looking for a response to the energy of the landscape.

The watercolor "underpainting"

As a watercolorist, I found myself tempted to approach this underpainting as I would a finished watercolor, working light to dark, wet-into-wet, glazing layers...but then this will be a pastel, on pastelbord. The underpainting will only serve to create a base (mostly covered with pastel) of warmth and value and give direction to the pastel that will come later... hopefully a loosely interpreted poetic landscape.

Monday, October 4, 2010

...Well not quite...today the show went up at Lorton Arts and will be on exhibit through Nov 7th.

I am amazed at all the factors involved in hanging a show (though I have done quite a few now), and how painful the process can be. Placement of paintings on a wall is an "art" in itself, one which I struggle with for every show. The most valuable lesson learned from today...never underestimate the value of help, everyone has a different "eye" and process for installation. Thank you Bonnie and Kathleen! I couldn't have done it without you.

Friday, September 24, 2010

There have been many "starts and stops" to this painting over the past few months. Each time returning to work, I find myself re-evaluating my intention..what is it I see here?...what is it about this painting that keeps me returning? After all, a new day, brings new perspective (both in life and in art)...new interpretations, new insights.

So I have to ask myself...can my intention be the same each time I return..what I see in the image be the same...when I have changed from day to day? I don't believe it can..exactly; the mood, aesthetic, and way of seeing have changed. I notice these subtle difference in the way I have approached different areas each time following a pause in work. The challenge is in finding harmony among the various "intentions" within the painting and exploring the curiosity that attracted me in the beginning.

So, what is the intention here? Of course, most will see "flowers"; the iris a symbol for hope, faith and wisdom. But today I see energy, curious wonder in the flow of line, lost and found shapes, and the statement of color.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Has it really been 3 weeks since my last post? Graduate school, coordinating preschool and elementary school schedules, children's social calendar, responsibilities at work, at home, etc, etc. have consumed my time... (sigh) leaving little room for conceptualizing art and painting...and therefore, little time or fuel for blogging.

Struggling for balance, I find myself retreating from the unnecessary... "stuff" that I often feel compelled to do relating to art... the exhibits, juried competitions, gallery responsibilities...and even teaching and blogging. Allowing time for the doing...allowing myself the time to clear the chatter in my mind and paint. Art is good for that, not only in the doing, but also the viewing...quieting chatter...calming the spirit.

This is a painting in progress I began a few weeks ago. Pastel (18X24) on an Ampersand Pastelbord. Most pastelist will agree I have an odd method for approaching the painting...to compartmentalize and work a section to completion. Having never taken a pastel class, this process feels natural for me. Much of my work is grounded in realism and therefore, requires a degree of spatial believability. That is...for me to create the feeling of perspective necessary to make this object (a stem) appear in front of that object (a blossoming bud for example), I must work that shape in the order as it occurs in space (from back to front). Since I have tested the composition and design as either a thumbnail value study (or after so many, in my mind), I have a mental picture of what the completed painting needs to be, the placement of lines, shapes, values to make the painting work and maintain a sense of harmony. For me, pastel is a precise medium, every stroke deliberately placed. If I have plan and know where I am going from the beginning, I can work one shape at a time. Sure, I probably don't have to work each shape to completion...but I just can't help myself...each shape is beautiful in itself.

Monday, August 16, 2010

I envy the nature of children. Four strangers on a tire swing, one mission...to go higher. No awkward introductions, no discussion of terms, no fear of being hurt. Simple business...get on, push and pull together, enjoy the ride.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Sweaty palms, heart pounding, nervous conversation...what is this, the first day of high school? Not quite, though the symptoms feel the same...just another drop-off for a juried competition, Uniquely Fredericksburg, a biennial art show celebrating the unique Fredericksburg experience.

Carl's Ice Cream (an iconic stop in Fredericksburg for over 50 years) has been masterfully painted countless times. It is probably the most painted recognizable image in Fredericksburg. They are open February through the heat of summer serving frozen custard to a line of visitors that often wraps around the parking lot. Who doesn't love a good frozen custard (aka: ice cream to the non-locals)?

Anyway, my goal was to present Carl's in a way no one had done it before...something more than a perfect portrait or whimsical, predictable building-scape (is that the right word?). Below is one of my favorite images (my in-laws), though maybe some would consider, less than flattering. I, however, love the casual, yet attentive attitude of the participants that so fits the personality and eccentricity of the residents and tourists in Fredericksburg.

I will be the first to admit I am not a "portrait" painter, just as I am not a "water-in-glass-vase" painter. I am, however, a shape and value painter in search of an unique, simplified perspective, whose subject this time happens to be people. This painting pulls together what I love most in watercolor...textures, blooms and glazes that create shapes of varied values and color mingling; shapes that alone would appear abstract, but when viewed together add up to a realistic (or should I say representational) image. I have heard from jurors that sometimes their decisions will vary depending on their breakfast. I hope this juror has a bland, boring breakfast...leaving her wanting for something more...maybe a curious painting of Carl's "thugs".

Thursday, July 22, 2010

I often struggle with my apparent lack of cohesion among various painting. I have quite a randomness in interest, style, approach to painting in both watercolor and pastel. But lately, I have been searching for common ground... something to grasp as a cohesive style...and then I realized...maybe style, approach and subject aren't the common factors. My main concerns, regardless of subject, are always composition, value, and contrast. Contrast creates emphasis and interest. In particular, contrasting and exaggerating value develops drama through depth and gets the viewer's attention. The search continues...

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Recently, I was invited to exhibit artwork at one of my favorite "wine and tapas" bar in Fredericksburg...for July and August. The artist initially scheduled for this time was not going to be able to show, so the owner was looking for someone to fill in. Did I mention I had 4 days notice? Following my initial reaction..."No way...can I come up with a collection of artwork to fill the space (20 or so paintings) on such short notice"...I came to my senses, did a reconnaissance (a word from my previous life) of the space and an inventory of paintings and their locations...and accepted.

My realization...doing a "short notice" show is the best way to have one...no fuss, no pre-show stress to produce work, no nervous anticipation building up to the opening reception. I simply hang and show my work, as is.

And so, I will have 23 paintings on exhibit at Kybecca, including 5 new works on aquabord, until September.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

I am amazed how we can experience the same moments day in, day out and not really "see" them...their simple beauty. Sometimes as artists, we spend so much energy searching for that "beautiful" composition, subject, landscape...and then sometimes (as is most often the case for me)...it finds us.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Before focussing on the details and extra "stuff" in a painting, I first try to focus on the mass shapes and values...the simple [or not so simple] elements that make up the structure of the composition. As noted from my previous post, I have divided my landscape into 3 mass shapes of light (sky), middle (foreground pavement), and dark (mid-ground treeline) value. Breaking down the scene into abstract shapes, I am assigning color to those mass value shapes, disregarding (attempting to anyway) the smaller value and color accents.

These value masses, serve as a reference to relate other values in the painting. Now I can expand on the mass shapes, adding subtle value, color, and temperature accents. Supporting the value structure (and perspective) identified in my thumbnail sketch, will enhance the paintings overall "readability."

"The most important ally in the study of painting is the art of thinking."

Friday, June 11, 2010

I often spend the first day of beginning class (watercolor or pastel), convincing beginning painters the value of a little planning. Most beginning artists want to jump right in, not wasting time looking for a good composition or value sketching. These terms are almost as dreaded as the capital "D"...drawing. However, as I have mentioned in many previous posts, this step is crucial for me and will save me (and beginning painters) much time and frustration...and will most likely produce a better painting. The principle for me... vision in a concept and a little pre-planning in composition, design principles, and value (and yes, a little drawing) are what will make a painting work...technique will come with time and practice but will not make a painting successful (though well crafted). I am sure some will argue this point.

Keep the plan simple, simplify mass value shapes...light, mid-value, dark...doodle, sketch, erase, play with various perspectives, cropping, and value patterns. Value and appreciate this step. There isn't any pressure here, no need for a finished drawing or painting.

Some tips for "testing" your design. Follow your eyes as they move around the sketch.

1. Does our eye travel effortlessly around the painting, through the light and dark shapes?

2. What is the visual movement in the painting? Have I directed it using line, repetition of shapes, overlapping shapes, "linking" values in a painting, via soft and hard edges in a painting?

3. Do I have a pleasing arrangement and variety of shapes, patterns and values? How did I break up the space? Is the space divided in a pleasing way?

Friday, June 4, 2010

Finishing up the couple of pigeon paintings I had started last week, I thought I should research a little about the birds. Never really thought twice about them, until I put the painting together. Now I have a new respect for the birds and their position in the world. I can't exactly say why I chose to do these little paintings other than I really enjoy the simplicity and structure of the compositions.

Circle of Friends 11X14, watercolor on Ampersand aquabord (above)

Pecking Order 11X14, watercolor on Ampersand aquabord(below)

1.Homing Pigeons have been known to fly 700 miles in a day. A 10 year study carried out by Oxford University concluded that pigeons use roads and freeways to navigate, in some cases changing direction at freeway junctions.

2.Pigeons achieved a 98% success rate in the missions flown in WW II, despite enemy fire, and often with mortal injuries to themselves.

3.Pigeons are still used today by the French, Swiss, Israeli, Iraqi and Chinese Armies.

4.Noah's Dove was most likely a homing pigeon.

5.They were used by the Greeks more than 5,000 years ago.

6.They are bred, raised and trained as good as Thoroughbred Horses (four million or so worldwide).

7.They have been known to see very well over a 26 mile distance.

8.Scientist believe they may hear wind blowing over mountains from hundreds of miles away. The ability to hear sounds 11 octaves below middle C allow the pigeons to detect earthquakes and electrical storms.

9.In the late 1800 the most heroic recorded flight was from a pigeon that was released in Africa and took 55 days to get home in England. Traveling over 7,000 miles.

10.Unless separated, pigeons mate for life.They have been known to live over 30 years.Both parents feed their young milk.

11. In the 17th century, KingGeorge I of England, decreed all pigeon droppings to be property of the Crown—and the “lofts” were policed to enforce the law! (Pigeon manure was used in making gunpowder)

12.The pigeon has the rare ability for a large bird to be able to fly nearly straight up.

13.Advanced studies at the University of Montana conclude: “Pound for pound, columba livia (the pigeon) is one of the smartest, most physically adept creatures in the animal kingdom.” The pigeon can pass a mirror test, recognizing it’s own reflection, and is only one of 6 species, and the only non-mammal, that has this ability.The pigeon can recognize all 26 letters of the English language as well differentiate between photographs and even between two different human beings in a photograph.

14.Pigeons are the only bird in the world that do not have to lift their head to swallow water.

15.When the pigeon is in long flight, it reaches back and holds on to the short tail feathers with its feet in order to save energy from holding its legs up.

16.During breeding season, when there are more than a few babies on the floor, all parents will feed all babies, even if they are not their own.

17.Why do you never see baby pigeons? Pigeons lay only 2 eggs at a time, and then spoil those babies shamefully.The parents feed the babies until they’re totally fat, happy, and freathered out.By the time they leave the nests, they are the same size as adults.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Recently, in one of my "Beginning Watercolor" sessions, one of my students asked "How do you make brown?" Without thinking a response, I replied..."I never try to make brown". Which isn't exactly true, once I put some thought into it. When painting a subject that will include "browns," I'm not really thinking "brown", but rather, "warm" neutrals (as opposed to grey, "cool" neutrals).

My "browns" are usually mixed using the other colors from my primary palette, providing a color harmony and unity in a painting, but yet enough variety to maintain visual interest. Notice in the two paintings [in progress] how the warm and cool neutrals play a supporting role to the star colors in the birds. Though I have not intentionally painted any of my birds brown, the viewer will see "brown".

So, finally, the simple answer to the question...How do you make brown?

1. Mix 3 primaries.

2. Mix warm compliments.

3. Add a manufactured neutral to another color with higher chroma. I usually use Burnt Sienna or Brown Madder. Just a little, neutralizes most colors.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Over the next few months my artwork will be included in an online exhibit The Healing Power of Art, a juried competition hosted by Manhattan Arts International. The premise for the exhibit..."when artists create healing art [art that uplifts the spirit] they not only experience a healing process within themselves, their Art also has a healing impact on viewers." As a nurse and artist, art and healing are both topics very close to my heart. I live them every day. I am honored to be a part of a movement that brings awareness to the relationships between creative expression, health and wellness. You can follow the link to see my page and statement.

Monday, May 10, 2010

I love watercolor...painting with it, watching others paint, reading about it, viewing other's work, talking about it, etc. So I paint, teach, read the books, the magazines, attend shows, everything short of dreaming about watercolor. Though viewing other's work in watercolor and seeing what other artists are doing with the media is important for creative exploration and growth, I have been reluctant to join a regional or national society. My disillusionment came when I discovered the groups exclude watercolor done on any other surface other than paper (i.e. watercolor on canvas, yupo, and MY favorite surface, claybord), but yet will accept acrylic painted on paper as a watercolor medium...dashing my hopes of ever earning "signature" status. After all, they call themselves "Watercolor" societies not "Works on Paper" societies (doesn't quite roll off the tongue).

I digressed...

This year for those applicants who are rejected (ouch...that word comes with such feelings of despair and discouragement) into the "VWS" exhibit, there is the option to exhibit with other rogue works in the "Salon de Refuse." My hope...the works rejected from the juried show will feature contemporary (and hopefully exciting) paintings in watercolor and other various surfaces...and viewers will have the opportunity to see watercolor presented in new ways. It's a gamble...

Friday, April 30, 2010

Following the dormancy of winter, I often feel a burst of "energy" in spring (as mentioned in previous posts); a rush of ideas, creativity, and need to set "roots" (and "sprout") in new directions. One such "root"...

This month I am joining the family of artists at the Art First Gallery, 824 Caroline Street in downtown Fredericksburg.

I look forward to the new directions this step will take me in art, insight into the gallery operations, teaching opportunities, and not to mention, exhibiting with an amazing group of artists.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

I love the energy in spring, something in the air that calls us to rearrange, clean our spaces, and take on new projects (more on this later). The green fog of pollen must work in a similar way to the oxygen pumped into the casinos in Vegas, alerting our senses. So with this "energy", this week I gave in to urge to rearrange the furniture in my studio at Liberty Town.

Above is a photo of Studio #3 at Liberty Town Arts in downtown Fredericksburg...my space, my solace, where some of my work gets done, and I teach a few workshops throughout the year. Over the past few years, I attribute my success and growth as an artist, in no small way, to the support, camaraderie and creative energy of the artists and mentors at Liberty Town. In May, Dan Finnegan, the founder is hosting Liberty Town's Annual "Patron's Show". Local artists come together to donate paintings in support of the arts and vision of LibertyTown, and to celebrate it's anniversary. The concept for the "Patron's Show", simple: buy a ticket, take home an amazing piece of art... and enjoy the company of the colorful community of artists and patrons in Fredericksburg. Tickets for the event go on sale "First Friday" May 7th. Visit the website for more information. www.libertytownarts.com

Another love to share this week...watercolor sketching (long overdue)... simplified, loose, and rich in color. Doing small sketches, I can explore a concept, test a composition, plan a color scheme and structure without having to commit. If a design doesn't "work" as a sketch, it won't work when enlarged to a finished painting. Only, I won't have invested so much time to the idea and therefore feel compelled to persist. I also avoid that uncomfortable middle ground in a painting, full of self-dought, when I am not sure if I can pull it all together. "Energy" takes on many forms.

Friday, April 16, 2010

I chose the title for this painting about a third of the way through; thinking the dark spaces hidden in the painting lended themselves as "secrets" stored away, piled up, buried underneath the surface...small treasures waiting to be found. However, as the painting developed those dark spaces and shadow shapes became much more. Often a photograph, or even the exacts of life studies, do not translate well to a painting. So about half-way through a painting, I will put the reference away and let the painting lead me through the description. The shapes that evolved in the shadows and the rich, dark textures seemed to take on another level to the painting I had not expected (or planned).

Secret Places

(almost finished)

Watercolor on Aquabord

22X30

A little more "push and pull," tightening up lines, and glazing the urns and shadows and then done! I can see the light.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

A few weeks ago I was invited to teach a watercolor workshop at a local high school. The students chose subjects for a painting from their "concentrations", a body of work related to their chosen concepts. The assignment was to find an interesting perspective for subject placement that would feature cast shadow shapes within the composition. Since watercolor by nature is a transparent medium, the paint works well to describe the transparency of shadows. We worked on Ampersand Aquabord, a textured clay surface that has many "forgiving" properties for beginning watercolor painters (most notably, the ability to life out and subtract paint and correct errors). The class jumped right in without fear, worked hard, and created some amazing work.

Katie's man walking

Kayleigh's cleat

Jaclyn's cups

Victoria's self portrait

Vaisha's easel

Vitor's tire

Thank you all for welcoming me into your class, keeping open minds, and allowing me to share my love for painting and watercolor.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Even if I tried...really, really hard, I could not do the same painting twice. Something is always different the second time. This I love when creating...a painting is after all, original to that moment; how the paints mix and dry, how the water is moving that day, how the brush is manipulated, the mood of the creator, etc. All the factors that work to pull it together, will never be exactly the same. Sometimes I like the first version better than the second, but liking the end product is much less important than enjoying the process of doing, developing an idea, and following the direction the painting takes along the way.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Four Buds on the 'SilPastel11X14 Rarely (if ever) can I say I have finished a painting in one day. After spending three weeks failing at an underpainting for a previous work, I finally gave it up and decided to start fresh. I'm not sure if it was the freedom of letting go of something that just wasn't working, moving in a new direction, or that I had done this painting in my head over the past 6 months, but it just all came together today. The hand and the eye working harmoniously. My intention for this painting...loose approach and contrasting elements of design; contrast of color temperatures with dominance of warms, contrast of organic and geometric shapes, and contrast of textures.

Friday, March 19, 2010

A few months ago I painted a small study, cropped version of a chair, junk out in "the yard". This week I am repainting that chair as a demonstration for a beginning watercolor class. For the "take two" larger version (16X20), I introduced an expanded palette of colors to include warmer tones in relation to what will be the "coolness" of the shadow. Placing warm intense color in front of cooler, less intense color will visually "push" the warmer shapes forward, creating an illusion of depth. "Chair" finale...coming soon.